>> reporter: abc news has confirmed tonight that the wing of this american airlines jet, dented by hitting a light on takeoff, also hit the runway pavement at jfk. potentially disastrous, horrifying for passengers. >> we felt the plane book pretty hard to the left. everyone just kind of held on really tight. >> reporter: just off the ground, the a-321 jet, headed for los angeles with 110 onboard, banks severely to the left, the pilot reports, and asks to return to jfk. >> uncontrolled bank, 45 degrees to the left. we had an uncommanded roll to the left as we rotated. >> what the pilot is saying here is that the airplane rolled itself to the left severely and dragged a wing tip. i can't tell you how unprecedented that is. and also incredibly dangerous. we could have lost this airplane. >> reporter: tonight, a week after the incident, the ntsb assigned a team of six to investigate. american airlines says its investigation is continuing and it's cooperating with federal authorities. one of the passengers tells us